Maintenance energy requirements of odor detection, explosive detection and human detection working dogs.

Despite their important role in security, little is known about the energy requirements of working dogs such as odor, explosive and human detection dogs. Previous researchers have evaluated the energy requirements of individual canine breeds as well as dogs in exercise roles such as sprint racing. This study is the first to evaluate the energy requirements of working dogs trained in odor, explosive and human detection. This retrospective study evaluated twenty adult dogs who maintained consistent body weights over a six month period. During this time, the average energy consumption was [Formula: see text] or two times the calculated resting energy requirement ([Formula: see text]). No statistical differences were found between breeds, age or sex, but a statistically significant association (p = 0.0033, R-square = 0.0854) was seen between the number of searches a dog performs and their energy requirement. Based on this study's population, it appears that working dogs have maintenance energy requirements similar to the 1974 National Research Council's (NRC) maintenance energy requirement of [Formula: see text] (National Research Council (NRC), 1974) and the [Formula: see text] reported for young laboratory beagles (Rainbird & Kienzle, 1990). Additional research is needed to determine if these data can be applied to all odor, explosive and human detection dogs and to determine if other types of working dogs (tracking, search and rescue etc.) have similar energy requirements.

Nutrition Education to Improve Dietary Intake and Micronutrient Nutriture among Children in Less-Resourced Areas: a Randomised Controlled Intervention in Kabarole District; Western Uganda

Objective: To determine whether nutrition education targeting the child-feeding practices of low- income rural caregivers will reduce anaemia and improve vitamin A nutriture of the young children in their care.Design: A controlled intervention trial; based on experiential learning theory. Forty-six women completed a nine-session nutrition education programme; while controls (n = 43) concurrently engaged in sewing classes.Setting: Two rural farming communities in the Kabarole district; western Uganda.Subjects: Less literate; low-income rural female caregivers and the children in their care (6-48 months).Outcome measures: Caregivers' child-feeding practices and the children's nutritional status were assessed at baseline; one month after intervention (Follow-up 1) and one year from baseline (Follow-up 2).Results: Caregivers in the intervention group reported improved child snacking patterns; food-selection practices; meal adequacy; and food variety. Children in the intervention group recorded lower haemoglobin levels at baseline (9.86 vs. 10.70 g/dl) and caught up with controls at Follow-up 1 (10.06 vs. 10.78 g/dl). However; changes were not sustained. Mean retinol-binding protein improved from 0.68 ?mol/l (95 CI: 0.57-0.78) to 0.91 ?mol/l (95 CI: 0.78-1.03) among intervention children; but remained approximately the same in controls. Vitamin A nutriture was influenced by infections.Conclusion: Nutrition education significantly improved feeding practices and children's nutritional status. The effectiveness and sustainability of this programme can be enhanced if nutrition education is integrated into other food-production and public health programmes

Development of a theater-based nutrition and physical activity intervention for low-income, urban, African American adolescents.

BACKGROUND: Childhood overweight is disproportionately worse in minority and low-income populations. Theater is a promising and effective tool for delivering health education to these underserved populations, but no known studies have examined the use of theater to promote both nutrition and physical activity to minority youth. OBJECTIVE: To develop an interactive, theater-based intervention that conveys health messages to low-income, urban, African Americans and engages them in learning ways to adopt a healthy lifestyle. METHODS: Community partners worked to develop a theater-based nutrition and physical activity intervention. A focus group provided urban adolescents' thoughts about their desires for the intervention. Based on input from all community partners, the group created a theater-based intervention. Researchers used a quasi-experimental (pre-/posttest) design with a community-based participatory research (CBPR) approach. Participants learned health messages through theater, dance, and music and gave feedback on the program sessions and materials. The program ended with a dinner theater performance showcasing information that students learned during the intervention. RESULTS: Participants received six theater-based health lessons. Learning objectives for each health education session were achieved. Each participant contributed to and performed in the final performance. All program participants were highly satisfied with the theater-based method of learning health messages. CONCLUSION: A community-academic partnership succeeded in developing a theater-based nutrition and physical activity intervention that satisfied participating adolescents.

Metabolic syndrome in African Americans: views on making lifestyle changes.

This study explores African American adults' understanding of metabolic syndrome (MetS) and their motivations for making lifestyle changes. African Americans have a greater risk for components of MetS, such as hypertension. Three focus groups were conducted with African American adults (n = 11) with MetS. Content analysis revealed five themes: Threat of Poor Health, Building Trust With Providers, Gaining Social Support, Seeking Culturally Acceptable Alternatives, and Getting on Track and Staying on Track. Lifestyle interventions for African Americans with MetS need to focus on building trust, developing self-monitoring skills, social support, and identifying low-cost/convenient opportunities for physical activity.

Relationships and CHD risks of BMI, lipoproteins, lipids, and blood pressure in African-American men and women.

BACKGROUND: Body mass index (BMI) is believed to be associated with coronary heart disease (CHD) risks. A major question is whether each BMI category provides independent risk information and whether the BMI categories provide similar results for African-American (AA) men and women relative to lipid, lipoproteins, and blood pressure. METHODS: A descriptive research design was used to evaluate the effects of BMI categories on lipoproteins, lipids, and blood pressure, and to determine if similar CHD risks related to these variables were observed in AA men and women. The 358 (108 men and 250 women; 40-70 year of age) participants were recruited from churches in a southeastern metropolitan area. RESULTS: The results indicate that BMI is positively associated with lipoproteins, lipids, and blood pressure in both AA men and women. Relative risks for CHD were higher for obese (BMI > 30 kg/m(2)) men and women, but the overweight (OW) category provided the same information as the normal weight (NW) category for men, but not for women. CONCLUSIONS: This suggests that the same BMI standards provide different CHD risk information for AA men than for AA women and that gender-specific BMI standards may be warranted for more effective CHD risk stratification in AA adults.

Position of the American Dietetic Association: the role of dietetics professionals in health promotion and disease prevention.

In the United States, the leading determinants of morbidity and mortality are rooted in behavioral choices related to eating habits, exercise, tobacco, alcohol consumption, and stress reduction. Scientific data consistently provide evidence that diet plays an important role in health promotion and disease prevention. Healthy eating habits--coupled with other healthful lifestyle behaviors--have the potential to reduce the risk of chronic disease. Health care typically assumes a curative or treatment role in the United States. However, dietetics professionals are shaping an alternate view of health, which includes developing healthy public policies, creating safe and supportive environments, building communities and coalitions, and reorienting health services to include health promotion as a primary approach to delivering health care. Individual-level approaches, such as counseling and group education, have been employed most often in modifying health behaviors. However, population-level approaches that affect availability of or access to healthy foods, opportunities for physical activity, and other healthy lifestyle determinants also are important. Dietetics professionals have pivotal roles in both individual- and population-level approaches.